The present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling run of a car, a method of controlling run of a car and a car using the apparatus and, more particularly to following distance controlling auto-cruise including slow acceleration and deceleration running in a congested area. Automatic control technologies are being developed. The automatic control technologies are that a distance between a self-car and a preceding car (including an obstacle) is detected using a radar, and an engine, a motor, a transmission and a brake are automatically controlled so that the distance becomes a safe following distance. An example of the automatic control technologies is following distance controlling auto-cruise including slow acceleration and deceleration running in a congested area (hereinafter, referred to as "ACC": Adaptive Cruise Control).
Among the ACC, there are known systems that automatic control is performed only for starting and acceleration operations and a driver operates deceleration and stopping according to his own decision in order to secure higher safety.
One example of the systems is that deceleration and stopping operations and starting and acceleration operations are performed by operating only a brake pedal using a conventional oil brake system.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.4-38600 discloses a system that when the running mode is set to a slow deceleration running mode due to traffic congestion, the car can be stopped and started by one-pedal running of braking operation. That is, the driving force is controlled so that the running speed of the car becomes a target running speed when there is no brake operation, and the diving force is controlled not to act toward a running direction when there is brake operation.
According to the conventional technologies described above, in order to perform stopping and starting operations by one pedal of braking operation using a conventional brake operating mechanism, the pedal can be used only as if it is an ON-OFF switch, that is, the car is decelerated and stopped when the brake pedal is stepped on, and started and accelerated when the brake pedal is released.
Therefore, in a case of, for example, acceleration a car, the driver is required to be ready to step on the brake operating mechanism so as to rapidly decelerate the car in order to avoid danger, if necessary, while he is releasing his foot from the brake operating mechanism, which is a burden for the driver.